positive impact associates, inc.&nbsp

implementing change that sticks

On a group of theories one can found a school;
but on a group of values one can found a culture.
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~ Ignazio Silone

Why Should We Care About Culture?

The way we view our jobs is dramatically influenced by the
organizational culture in which we work.

&nbsp In the same
way the color of a room can affect our mood, the culture
of our work environment impacts both our performance and
how that performance is perceived by others. We ignore
organizational culture at our peril since it affects
the performance of every member of the organization.

What Is Culture, Anyway?

Culture can be described as a set of
shared attitudes, values, and behavioral patterns.
Organizational culture is created by leadership policies,
practices, and styles. This culture, often created
unconsciously, acts as an invisible field that shapes
attitudes and influences behavior.

The tiny signals sent and received within an organization are so
ubiquitous that they often go unrecognized. But this doesn't mean
they're unimportant. To the contrary, the unrecognized influence of
organizational culture can derail the most carefully laid plans of
management.

How Do We Evaluate The Cultural Environment?

The impact of corporate culture on performance can be
analyzed by first examining the attitudes necessary to
achieve the desired performance and then identifying
the cultural elements that encourage or discourage
those attitudes. Both surveys
and assessments can be
helpful in compiling objective information about an
organization's culture as well as the attitudes, values,
and behaviors exhibited by the organization's most
successful memebers.

How Can Cultural Changes Improve Performance?

People perform within the boundaries imposed by organizational culture.
When cultural boundaries are modified to align with the
behaviors needed for improved performance, individuals are encouraged to
display those behaviors and subsequently the improvement is exhibited. For
example, an organization that supports the belief that defects are preventable
and not inevitable will experience fewer defects.